The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) have renewed their commitment to strengthen collaboration on voter sensitisation and mobilisation, aiming to drive greater public participation in Nigeria’s electoral process.
The renewed partnership was announced during a courtesy visit by NOA Director-General Lanre Issa-Onilu to INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja. Both institutions acknowledged the urgent need to improve awareness and voter turnout, especially among underrepresented groups.
Prof. Yakubu described advocacy and citizen education as essential components of INEC’s electoral mandate, stressing that NOA remains a strategic ally in achieving this goal. He noted that upcoming electoral activities including the November 8 Anambra governorship election and the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) scheduled to begin August 18 require intensified public engagement.
“The commission’s mandate cannot be effectively carried out without the support of agencies like NOA. Your work in engaging Nigerians, especially the youth, is commendable,” Yakubu said.
He praised NOA’s initiatives such as its national virtual hackathons, digital media outreach through NOA TV and Radio, and the Explainer Newsletter, which he said have elevated public communication. Yakubu also acknowledged NOA’s push toward AI-powered data management, highlighting its potential for more targeted voter education campaigns.
“We’d like to explore deeper partnerships with your agency, particularly through our departments of voter education and publicity. With our newly created Artificial Intelligence Division, we can jointly develop smarter outreach strategies,” he said.
Yakubu emphasized the need for collaboration beyond traditional voter education, urging NOA to work closely with political parties, civil society groups, the media, and other stakeholders to increase participation among youths, women, and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
As part of this effort, he said NOA had been included in the expanded Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), and would play a pivotal role in the planned revamp of the National Inter-Agency Committee on Voter Education and Publicity (NICVEP).
In his response, NOA Director-General Issa-Onilu expressed his appreciation to INEC for the partnership opportunity, while pointing to a growing gap in public understanding of both agencies’ roles, particularly at the grassroots level.
He called for more unified communication strategies and joint campaigns that would bridge this knowledge gap and energise civic participation across the country.
The partnership between INEC and NOA is expected to be a key driver of improved electoral engagement ahead of upcoming elections, leveraging both agencies’ expertise in public communication, grassroots outreach, and civic education.
